Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Wedding Guest List Gets Much, Much Bigger

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had already made it clear that they intended to share their May 19 wedding with the public, including a carriage ride through the streets of Windsor and giant screens erected in the town so that spectators could watch it live. Now the Palace has released details on how members of the public can get even closer to the latest royal wedding of the decade.

An announcement from Kensington Palace today confirmed that the couple will invite 2,640 members of the general public to Windsor Castle to watch the bride, groom and their wedding guests arrive at St George’s Chapel—get your hats and fascinators at the ready!

A Palace spokesman added that 1200 members of the public “from every corner of the United Kingdom” will be allowed into the castle grounds. They will be chosen by “nine regional Lord Lieutenant offices,” and according to the statement, “the couple has asked that the people chosen are from a broad range of backgrounds and ages, including young people who have shown strong leadership, and those who have served their communities.”

A further 200 people from Prince Harry’s charities, 100 school pupils, 610 Windsor Castle community members, and 530 members of the Royal Households and Crown Estate will also get the coveted invites.

The news means that security is going to be extra tight, according to former Royal Protection Officer Ken Wharfe. “It’s wonderful that the couple want to involve the public on the big day, but it’s also going to mean a huge security operation that will cost millions of pounds,” he told Vanity Fair. “The British Government will be working closely with the Met to make sure that there is no margin for error when it comes to safety.”

“Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle have said they want their Wedding Day to be shaped so as to allow members of the public to feel part of the celebrations too,” a Palace spokesman said Friday morning. “This wedding, like all weddings, will be a moment of fun and joy that will reflect the characters and values of the Bride and Groom. In addition to the Carriage Procession in Windsor, they have today shared some further details of how the public will be involved on May 19. Prince Harry and Ms Markle have invited 2,640 people into the grounds of Windsor Castle to watch the arrivals of the Bride and Groom, and their wedding guests, at the chapel and to watch the carriage procession as it departs from the castle.”

The blueprint for the wedding is said to be Prince Edward’s marriage to Sophie Rhys Jones (now the Countess of Wessex) Their wedding in 1999 was dubbed “the people’s wedding” after wedding organizers ran a ballot for hundreds of people to be invited into the grounds of the castle.

With so many members of the public expected in Windsor the police will be on high alert.

“No one will be taking any chances,” said Wharfe explaining that security at Windsor has been extra tight ever since imposter Aaron Barschak managed to inveigle his way into Prince William’s 21st birthday party back in 2003. ‘Since then security measures have been racked up and they won’t want another incident particularly at such a big occasion. There’s global interest in Harry and Meghan’s wedding and there will be tens of thousands of people in Windsor and a huge police presence. There will be plainclothes police officers in the crowds, snipers on roof tops and the searches will be extensive. There will also I imagine, be an armoured police officer in Harry and Meghan’s carriage.”

While Queen Elizabeth and Charles, the Prince of Wales, are privately paying for the wedding, the British tax payer will be meeting the security bill which is expected to run into millions of pounds. But few are willing to take chances with Britain being on high terror alert. Just last week, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were at the center of a terror scare after a suspicious white powder addressed to the couple was sent to Kensington Palace. It was later found to be harmless.

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